By: Roddy Doyle Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books Average Rating: Binding: Mass Market Paperback Label: Arthur A. Levine Books Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 112 Publication Date: November 01, 2001 Reading Level: Ages 4-8
Product Description: Imagine a wonderfully rude, children's version of "It's a Wonderful Life." At the beginning of the tale we have a good man, a caring man, heading for his job as a cookie-taster…but also heading for a terrible fate (he's about to step in something smelly.) Is this an accident (no!) Who's responsible? (the Gigglers, that's who! Elfen creatures whose pranks punish wayward adults.) What did he do to deserve this (he yelled at his children unfairly, but actually this was a bit of a misunderstanding….) Can the impending mess be avoided (Possibly!)
Working backward, Roddy Doyle spins the hilarious tale of Mr. Mack, his wife Billy Jean, his three children Robbie, Jimmy, and Kayla, their dog Rover (in many ways the STAR of the show) and, of course, the irrepressible, sometimes hasty, but well-meaning Gigglers.
A thoroughly silly, occasionally subversive, periodically tender, completely satisfying read.
Amazon.com Review: What, you might well ask, is the Giggler Treatment? Better yet, what precisely is a Giggler? You won't find out until chapter 6 of Roddy Doyle's The Giggler Treatment, but for those of you who can't wait, here's the answer: Gigglers are "baby-sized and furry. Their fur changes color as they move." Their main occupation in life is to look after children and to punish adults who are mean or unfair to them. And the Treatment? Four words: "Poo on the shoe."
The Gigglers have always been there. Since the first dog did its first poo. Since the first caveman grunted at his first cavechild. He stomped out of the cave, straight onto a huge lump of prehistoric poo.
In his first children's book, Roddy Doyle, prize-winning author of such adult fare as Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha, The Barrytown Trilogy, and A Star Called Henry, gives free literary rein to his inner child. The result may surprise his older readers, but is guaranteed to please the Captain Underpants set with its frequent good-humored references to poo, rudies, bums, and other body parts and functions. Doyle bases his tale on a dreadful misunderstanding: Mr. Mack, a biscuit tester in a biscuit factory sends his sons to their rooms without supper for breaking a window. This piece of unfairness naturally warrants the Treatment, and so the Gigglers immediately rush next door to collect a walloping great lump of poo from a neighboring Irish wolfhound. Unfortunately, they aren't present when Mr. Mack repents. When the children later find out their father is headed into deep doo-doo, it becomes a race against time to save him from poo on the shoe.
Doyle takes this slightest of plots and piles on plenty of whimsy, from a talking dog to a race across Dublin via the Nile River and the Eiffel Tower. Chapter titles have names like "Chapter Something," "Another Chapter," and "The Chapter After the Last One"; there are frequent digressions into topics such as mountain climbing and the love life of Irish wolfhounds; the illustrations are fun; and there's an amusing glossary at the end that translates some of the Britishisms ("Plaster--Band Aid. Very useful if you are bleeding to death"). This good-natured romp through a comedic territory beloved by children (and more than a few grownups) will surely win the author whole new legions of fans. Indeed, it's highly unlikely that Mr. Doyle will ever have to worry about falling victim to the Giggler Treatment himself. (Ages 9 and older) --Petra Williams
Great naughty factor! Okay, I had to search for the reviewers who gave this book bad reviews to see what they said. And now I feel deeply sorry for them - where's their inner child!!!!!
As a Children's Librarian, I was looking for a book to read to at-risk & low interest kids (mostly boys) which might excite them to come to the library & read - just read -- anything I can get in their hands -- and this book does it. The naughtiness of getting to say "poo" a hundred times, of imagining the Giggler Treatment for the adults in their lives, the great/funny boxes of information about the differences in our cultures (Irish & American), - and especially Rover's super-deluxe shoe-shaped dog poo sends the kids giggling off their seats every time. By the end they are cheering for the big save and asking if there are any more fun books like that at the library -- and of course there are!!!
If you are going to read this as an adult - first concentrate. Go back to the time in your life where anything gross or the opposite of adult was the funniest & greatest thing around. When justice was black & white and understanding that there is more than one way to view a situtaion was absolutely amazing. Then have fun!!!!! I do recommend getting to read it out loud - it's a hoot.
this book sucks this book sucks! its a insult to nature. Its horrible writtin and dull. They use the same jokes over and over again that werent even funny in the first place. It fooled me that it was writin by some one older then 4. you couldnt pay me to read this book again. I am in a sixth grade class and we read each others writing. The worst story i read in my class by a 10 year old was better then this one. Everyone in my class hates it(are teacher just finished reading it to use). If you are considering buying this book dont. You will through it out the window after the first 20 pages(i would have if are teacher wasnt reading it to use) discusted by the dumb jokes and how horribly writin it is.
Grantland Review , age 9 I like the Giggler Treatment. I loved the chapter with the word two in it. I loved the chapter's names and the poo dissaster. He reallly funny auther. I like gigglers because my nick name is "Giggles". He's a funny writter.
Poo Happens! Very cute book, a fun read for a little kid. Cute pictures are nice too, I have the hardback version, nice cover.
Book Review Book Review
When was the last time a book made you die of laughter? In the book, The Giggler Treatment you will do just that. If you like mischief and funny then you will love this book as much as I do. This book is about these creatures called gigglers and they put dog poo for bad parents to step in. So join the gigglers in their adventures. If you want to die of laughter read this book. In this hilarious book, adventure and funny are the main themes. The gigglers go around putting dog poo for bad parents to step in. In one part of the book, Mr. Mack thinks the biscuits (cookies but in Ireland they call cookies biscuits) are talking to him. Also Mr. Mack's two boys kick a soccer ball through the window and they blame it on their baby sister. An adventurous part of the book is when the gigglers and Mr. Mack's two boys go looking for the littlest giggler in the city dump. Also Rover races against Mr. Mack to the railroad station so he can poo and Mr. Mack will step in it. That is why funny and adventure are the themes. In this book you will get to know and love the characters. They are Mr. Mack, Rover and the gigglers. Mr. Mack has three children, two boys and one girl. He works at a biscuit factory testing (eating) biscuits. Rover is a talking dog can read. A dog who can read! The gigglers as I have mentioned put dog poo for bad parents to step in. The gigglers are very sneaky and adventurous. They love to play and have fun. Don't you love them all ready? The setting of this book takes place in a small park in Ireland. The book says that seagulls live in the trees. Have you ever herd of something so strange? Also the park is where the gigglers put dog poo for Mr. Mack to step in. It is also where rover beats Mr. Mack to the train station. The author describes the thick green grass and everything in and about the park. That is what the setting is like and what happens in it. I would recommend this book to who ever likes funny, mischievous and adventurous books. Who ever likes to laugh will love this book. If you like wacky story lines this is the book for you. If you are a kid who as ever been sent to their room and you don't think it was fair you will like this book. If you want to read a good short book you should read this book. If you thought one of the above caught your interest then read The Giggler Treatment.
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